Google has temporarily shut down its Android earthquake detection system in Brazil after users in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro received inaccurate emergency alerts.
Early Friday morning, around 2 AM, many smartphones in the region reported a non-existent 5.5 magnitude earthquake, pinpointing the Ubatuba and Baixada Santista areas.
The Android Earthquake Alerts System, introduced in 2020 in California, relies on smartphone accelerometers to function as a network of mini-seismometers. Over time, the system expanded to other countries, aiming to provide early warnings about seismic activity. However, in this case, it mistakenly triggered widespread panic.
Local authorities quickly dismissed the warning. The Civil Defense of São Paulo clarified that they had not issued any alerts and confirmed no recorded seismic activity in the state. This raised concerns about the reliability of Google’s automated detection system in emergencies.
Just got a warning message here in São Paulo – Brazil, earthquake between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state
byu/pacocar8 inEarthquakes
Responding to the incident, Google spokesperson Ed Fernandez acknowledged the error, stating that the alert was generated after detecting unusual signals near the São Paulo coast. Google promptly disabled the feature in Brazil and is now investigating the cause of the false alarm. The company apologized for the inconvenience and reaffirmed its commitment to refining the technology to prevent similar issues in the future.
